Safety firecracker



Dec. 1, 1925. I 1,563,379

K. KOHN .SAFETY FIRECRAC KER Filed De 22, 1924 .z'g l /0 Z0 7zg E j hpplicati on filed December 22, '1924: "Serial No. 757,5 1. A Y.

i -"T whom it maytohMf I Be it known that'I, KOBY- H 3.01m

- New Yorlncoiinty of New-Yorkystate of 'NeWVYork, have invented I, certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Firecrackers, of which the following is a specification. This; invention relates to pyrotechnics and more particularly to firecrackers of v the "'lo'satety typeJ v to; provide a novel and improved form of 1 safety firecrackerp sion without'injury to the person, I Another object of the invention consists in the firecracker weakened between; the l chargejand the end 'oppositethe' fuse, so that upon-explosion the fuse end of the fire 1 cracker will be blownofi' at the. weakened 2 section',-soithat,in casekthe user fails to let 'go' oftthe firecracker, he will not be injured .venting' gases from l blowing back toward,

' "that-end. V 1 i In the accompanying drawings: and following- .specification' there is disclosed, by

' way of example,} only, a single embodiment of the present invention, it being understood,

however,v tha t various "changes" and modifications maybe made in the arrangement,

; material, size andproportion. ofgthe various parts, without departing fromethe spirit vof the inwvention as 'setforth in the attached la msi V- V a ;-In sa d. drawings l :ferred formof-a' safety: firecracker con} "structed according to this invention, I

I j Figure 2 is a longitudinal central, section I -qxoiax Kennor nEw oRK, -1\T. Y."

f 1 ,SAFETY '"F'InEcRAoK It;

-zen'of the United States, and residing at" It'is the general object of this invention More; paiticularlyfit objectloi this with one hand' while'lighting the fuse from V v thelprovision of a safety firecracker having an" explosive charge therein, with the "wall these difliculties. by providing a safetyj fire cracker in which the charge is confinedtnear blows back from coming inycontactfwith Referring to the drawings there disclosed in Figures-1,;2 and 3 a satety,fire

tion. This -tube I may be of any desired; p v length;anddiameter,' dependingupon the '5? Figure l' is a side elevation of the prel-Eigure 3lis a transverse section takenon V p v p v V Y I 1 fuse 14 s passed through the outer cap or f Figure 4: is a longitudinal central section f l t of a modified "formi offsafety firecracker; f

Figure is an el' vation' of a further in odi; a fication, and g i Figure 6 is a'longitudinalcentral section of still another modified form of safetyfirecracker. f a i I i g 7 v Itis well-known thatthe' ordinary firev cracker or salute, as it is sometime's known, isz not" considered safe, especially in the hands ofchildren or irresponsible persons.- ,a a This ismostly becauseof the danger-of the' firecracker exploding while still held in the hand. It is the usual practice to hold the firecracker by the end remotevvfrom thefuse a match or other source of fire held in-the] otherlhand, and it may bethatthe fuseacts. quicker than expected, or that the usersiat V tention is distracted, and the firecracker rex-j plodes in his hand, resulting in painfuliinjuries if not the loss of lseveral fingersi The 1 I present invention contemplates overcoming the end containing the fuse and'by provid= I v ing a-weakenedsection in the sidewallsjust behind the charge-containing section. Additional protection against" gases blowing '85 back and injuring thehand is afl'orded by aplug or=cap closing the tube behind the' weakened section, or by. bafi les tending" to prevent the major .portion'of, anyrgas'which V V the hand.) Additional-safety means; are pro vided in the form of gas ventsto allow the force of theoexpl'osionjto be largely dissi-t patedIlaterally. I r 7 cracker, or salute, composed of a lpapero'r pasteboard tube', or'tubular'member-10,'have ing walls of "such thickness as to be disruptable by the explosive charge contained 109 therein, and yet of 'sufi'icientstrength to; afford; a considerable confinement jo' f l t charge toincrease the noise of theidetolna'v-v 105, quantity ofcharge it is desiredtoplace' in it. ,Near one endis' the compartmentzll, defined by the caps or plugs 12:andl3, in which all 'of the "charge of the explosive mixture isplaced; Thischarge'may'or may .9 not 'fill completely" this compartment. 7 'A partition 13 as shown, which partition may be held in place by an adhesive, or by crimping the end of the tube over it as shown at 15. The fuse passes through a central aperture punched or pressed in the cap 13 and is knotted on the inside as shown at 16to prevent it from being pulled out. By punching or pressing the hole in the cap 13 to admit the fuse, the walls 13 of the hole are turned inward as shown, so that any attempt to pull the fuse outward, or the pressure of the explosion, only effects a better seal between the cap 18 and the fuse lt, resulting in a louder detonation.

The wall of the tube 10 adjacent the cap or partition 12 is weakened by providing it with a plurality of perforations 19 and 20. The walls of the perforations 20 are pressed inward, as clearly shown, instead of punching the hole; cleanly, so as to form stops to limit the inward movement of the partition 12 when it is being placed in position, before the end 15 of the tube is crimped over. The partition 12 is preferably fastened in. position by an adhesive. The weakened portion of the wall 10 of the tube permits the forward part of the tube containing the explosive mixture compartment 11 to be blown off and free from the rear end of the tube at the time of the explosion, and the shape of the partition 12 materially assists in this effect. It will be noted that any direct rearward pressure on the inturned bottom 17 of the cap effects a toggle action tending to expand thewall 18 of the partition 12 in a radial direction, which force is transmitted to the wall 10 just in front of the weakened section, thus assisting in tearing the wall 10 between the'perforations 19 and 20. This shape of the partition 12 as well as that of the partition 13 is effective, to a large extent, in preventing forward and rearward movement during the explosion, confining the ma jority of the force thereof to a lateral or radial direction.

To prevent any of the gases of the ex plosion, or the force thereof, which may escape by the partition 12, blowing back through the tube and injuring or burning the users hand, the additional cap or partition 21 may be provided, secured by an ad hesive closely behind the weakened section. This cap or partition21 is substantially similar in shape tothat of the partition 12, the inturned bottom, however, being more exaggerated and the side wall 22 being longer to positively effect an expanding action in a radial direction as explained in connection with the partition 12. Any radial pressure, it will be noted, against the wall '22 will expand it into closer contact with the tube 10, and thus cause it to disrupt in front of the partition21. The perforations 19' and 20 also act as gas vents to prevent the force of the movement of the partition 12, resultwhile"explodin in case it accidentally should be, no harm would result.

In the event that the partition 12 should be disrupted or blown backward, andits toggle action thus vitiated, the partition 21 acts as a reinforcement thereto, and confines the force of the explosion to the forward end of the tube 10, so that it will be separated at the weakened section formed by the perforations 19 and 20.

The modification disclosed in Figure l: is identical with that disclosed in Figures 1, 2 and 3 as regards the construction of the chamber 11 for containing the explosive compound, but the partition 2st which corresponds to the partition 21 in thepreferred modification has been moved to the rear end of the tube and is maintained in place in the same manner by the indentations or inwardly pressed projections 25 in the wall of the tube 10 and an adhesive. It has not been found necessary to make the side walls 26 of the partition as deep as in the preferred form. As an additional protection to the user, a series of holes or gas vents 27 have been made in the wall of the tube 10 at a position intermediate between the weakened portion, caused by the holes 19 and 20, and the partition 24, to further assist in allowing the gases resulting from the explosion to escape in a lateraljdirection.

The compartment 28 contained between the partitions 12 and 24 forms in effect an air cushion, having relief means such as the vents 27, which is between the explosive chamber and the users hand, thus effecting, in a simple and positive manner, the protection of the person from the force of the explosion. Any number of series of vents 27 may, if desired, be arranged in the walls of he compartment 28.

The modification disclosed in Figure 6 is similar, as regards the compartment 11 for retaining the explosive mixture, to the preferred modification and to that modification disclosed in Figure 4, being provided with the holes 19 and 20 to weaken the wall 10 just behind the explosive containing compartment. The remainder of the tube is, however, provided with a plurality baffles which do not entirely close the tube. but which materially reduce the amount of gas, resulting from the explosion, which can tus pass backthroughit. These baflles 30 -are arranged in circumferential groups n ff 1 and are formed by punehing or cuttingthreel I 2 sides'ofa rectangle with'thej rearward side retained integral with-the tube 10, so that: a tab can be pushed inward as 1 shown. 'Wheretwo sets ofthe baflles, as 29 and 30,,

are provided, tl1ey are arranged'in'istaggered circumferential relation, any desired num 'ber of baffles be ngpr'ovidedin each .set.

- Between the sets of' bafflesv a series of vents 27, as in the previously described modifica I tion, may be'provided for the purpose explaine'd in connection with that modification.

The baffles 29and- 3O each project in- ,flwardly and forwardly, and when impinged on bythe gases escaping in. a rearward direction through the tube, are bent inwardly so that their tops cooperate with each other and form a substantial closure for the tube,

preventing all but a smallpart of the gases f and dbris'from passing therethroughQ By being arranged in astaggered relation, the I second-set of baffles will moredirectly receive the: force of the gasesescaping between those of the first set and thus the amount of. gas which escapes from the end of thetube f will be inconsequential.

In Figure 5 is disclosed aslight variation whichgmay be applied toany of the previously, described modifications; I consists in covering the tube 10 with. a thin paper or tissue 31, which-may, if desired, be in any color or colors,;either solid, striped or variegated. This paper will not in any ,wise; affect the previously d'escribed opera-- It merely tion of the firecracker; The sole purpose of this covering is to hide therholes or vents in the tube to give the firecracker a more finished andsalable appearance, as well as allowing the main tube 10 to be made of Y cheaper and coarser material. Of course, if

,desired, this coverlng paper or t1ssue'may.

i have printed thereon any suitableadvertis- 1, An article of the, character ing matter/such asthe name of the firecracker, the name of the manufacturer etc.

Having thus described the invention, what Iisuclaimed as new and desired to besecured" by- U. S. Letters Patent'is: 7

comprising ashell, anexplosive charge in charge for the purpose partment in said shellexplosive material and l I afuse in said compartment, a weakened portion between the compartment and thereruption of a part thereof;

described vided with a 'gas -vent.-

i 4; In a safety firecracker, 1n combination,'v it a disruptable tube, tinean's defining ac'omg partm'ent in said tube, explos vefmaterial and a fuse in'said compartment, to provi'de aagas vent and a weakened wall section; -l

mainder of saidctu'be,"saiditube-bein;

5, In a safety firecracker, in combination, a

a disruptable tube, an explosive therein'a'nd means weakening said tube to Prevent dis- 6. In a safety firecracker, in combination,

a disruptable tube, an explosive c'onfinedin a part of said tube, and means integral with the tube to limit the disruption of said tube to the part adjacent said explosivei" 7 In a safety firecracker,.in combination,

a disruptable tube, an explosive confinednear one end of said tube, a weakened wall in said tube near said'explosive and a partition in said tubebeyondsaidweakened wall;

8.; In asafetyfirecracker, in combination, a Y I a disruptable tube, an explosive confined near one end of said tube, a' weakened wall '90 in said tube between said explosive and the opposite end of said tube, a partitionin-said tubebetween said weakened wall and said opposite end, said tube being providedfwith" V a-gas vent between said'partitionand weak 1 enedwallg. V p 9. In a'safety firecracker,in combination,

a disrupt able tube, an explosive: confined 1 I I near one end of: said tube, a weakenedi wall in said tube between said explosive and-the opposite end ofsaid tube,la'partition in said tube between said weakened wall andsaid 1 opposite end, saidtube being provided with a gas vent between said partition and weak-'5 ened Wall, said gas .ventserving to'weaken 10. Ina safety firecracker, in combination,

a disruptable tube, a closure near oneend said wall;

of said tube, a fuse through said closure-a";

partition spaced from said closure, explosive r material betweens'aid closure andpartition, a second'partition in said tube, said tube-being provided with a weakened wall between said partitions for the purpose" described. I

11. In a safety firecracker, in combination, a disruptable tube, a closure near-one end of said tube,,afuse through said closure, a I

partition spacedfromsaid closure exploe.

sivem aterial between said closure and par-c l. t1t1on, a second partition 1nsa1d tube, sa d: tube being provided 'wlth a vent weakening,v

the wall thereof and allowing the escape.

of gases.

12. In a safetyfirecracker, in combination, a" disruptabletube', a closure nearone'end ir 125 of said tube, a fuse through said closure, a partitionspaced from said closure, eXplosive material between said closure and part1t1on,"a second partitionin sa1d.tube,f.sa1d-" tube being provided with a vent, the-walls of which are inturned to provide a stop for isc f one of said partitions end also to weaken a reflex bottom in said closure and 21 weakthe Wall of said firecracker.

13. A. cap or closure forfirecrackers or the like comprising a cup-like structure 1mm- 5 ing a refiexed bottom.

14. In av firecracker, in combination, a shell, a closure therein of cup-like formation,

cued portion in said shell adjacent said closure. 10

In testimony whereof I hereunto am); my signature.

@ KOBY KOHN. 

